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Police are collecting information on thousands of protesters for a series of national intelligence databases, it was revealed today.
Details of activists, including photographs, are being gathered by forces and sent to a central "domestic extremism" unit for storage and analysis.
The databases feature people seen at public demonstrations, including anti-war and environmental rallies.
Campaigners can be included on the network of systems even if they have not committed a crime, it was also disclosed. One face on police "spotter cards" is comedian and political activist Mark Thomas.
Three national police units responsible for combating domestic extremism are run by the Association of Chief Police Officers' "terrorism and allied matters" committee.
It receives £9million in public funding from police forces and the Home Office and employs a staff of 100. The domestic extremism section was set up in 2004 to combat animal rights activists who committed crimes.
The main branch, the National Public Order Intelligence Unit, runs the central database using intelligence from forces across England and Wales, which routinely deploy surveillance teams at protests and public meetings.
The unit works with two other police branches, the National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit and the National Domestic Extremism Team.
A spokesman for the units said people "should not be worried". He added: "There are lots of reasons why people might be on the database.
"Not everyone on there is a criminal and not everyone on there is a domestic extremist but we have got to build up a picture of what is happening.
"Those people may be able to help us in the future."
Reader views (5)
Not terrorists now...but as Hitler did...identified for round up and removal when Martial Law is Declared for what will probably be a biological Virus attack by Government on the people , blamed on Islamic Terrorists. After 40% of us are dead or dissapeared we will see if this was a good idea as I am sure it will not hold the photos of our Masters.
Sieg Heil,,,Sieg Heil Tony Blair /
- Clif, London
And where does the Data Protection Act stand on this?
- Roz, France
"Quite happy with this actaully" (sic) - writes someone who hides behind a pseudonym.
Well I'm not happy with these Gestapo antics. There's plenty of real crime to sort out - guns, gangs, robberies, rapes, muggings, murders, etc, etc. Snooping on peaceful protestors is a waste of police time, money and resources. The nerds behind this scheme should either be made redundant or redeployed to walking the beat in a tough neighbourhood.
- Austen, London
@P Staker, London - So you are happy that your picture taken whist attending the Lord Mayor's Parade, The Remembrance Day Service at the Cenotaph, or walking home past a demonstration will be put onto this database?
I just see this as another unwarranted intrusion into the lives of the VAST majority of people in this country who are innocently trying to get on with their lives.
- Jim, London
Quite happy with this actaully, now they can build up a list of rabble rousers like the UAF, and all the climate change nutters, that disrupt ordinary working peoples lives.
- P Staker, London
